Barium swallow

[Rmichelle]

Hi all again i had my barium swallow done 1 week ago and have received the results this afternoon they were clear but just hoping the endoscopy nxt friday will show something as certain foods still sticking in throat, i know i have a hiatus hernia and reflux which was found 5 years ago on a endoscopy, why did this not show on the barium, i dont understand this, i know the endo will show more as it did last time.

[feebee1993]

hello again ,im glad the results were clear from your barium ,obviously there is nothing pressing from the outside of the oesophagus . i dont know why the hernia didnt show on the barium , im sure someone on here will have the answer . i had read that hernias can be sliding and be there sometimes and not others ! as you say hopefully the endoscopy will show more for you .i got my barium scan on a disc and they really do show a very good picture ,it deffinatly showed all my stomach and intestines so it seems a good test to have had .

f

[Rmichelle in reply to feebee1993]

Hi feebee1993, yes bit puzzling isnt it about hernia not showing but have read on internet that like you said if they are sliding then they can be hidden. Endo next friday so fingers crossed. Also got docs on monday has bloods for anemia and thyroid are showing something, i may have 2 things going on at once. Definatley something i seem to be getting some foods in my nasal cavaity aswell.yak. hope you are feeling somewhat better.best wishes.

[Rmichelle in reply to feebee1993]

Hi feebee, i had my blood test results today it looks like the docs have been barking up the wrong tree here as i have hyperthyroidism and that can course swallowing problems and food getting trapped being thyroid swollen, breathing problem coming from overdosing on hormones. I have joined thyroid uk forum now and getting some excellent advice just like i have had here. Doc has started me on beta blockers to help with palps and tremors and on urgent referral to see endoc who will prescribe meds and do further tests. I hope you are feeling a little easier now, i thankyou for the advice given to me from you and would still like to hear how you are getting along. Best wishes.

[feebee1993 in reply to Rmichelle]

hello again ,

thank you for letting us know your diagnosis , its such a double edged sword getting a diagnosis isnt it . knowing there actually is a problem and its not in your head , is such a relief . but then you have to start with all the new infomation and treatments . i know other people with thyroid conditions and i believe the treatment is very sucessfull and the condition controlled . as im sure you are finding from the group chat .its great these sites are here for us its where a lot of us get the help we need . i had uncompinsated laberinthytis for a year . doctors said it only lasts two weeks , so after that they didnt know what to do with me . but a online site was a life saver where i found other sufferers , they got me through .

i am on beta blockers too for my palps and they are brillient .i remember the first time i took one when having a bad run of them and after twenty minutes they just faded away .i also found they stopped hot flushes ! a posative side effect perhaps ?

my rollercoaster spasms that started a week ago are still going on ! i cant believe that something that has caused me so much fear over the years has become the new norm !i have also found out that the pain and weekness in my arm is another symptom of my lusoria ,and i thought that was a trapped nerve or carpal tunnel syndrome .

not wanting to compare you in any way to my wonderfull 21 year old cat ... but she has been treated for thyroid for the past five years and is amazing ! lol ... sorry i try and find humour in most things , disabled hubby and disabled daxi and another very old loony daxi make our life an adventure every day! but im very gratefull we are all still here .

im just so pleased you have finally got there with your diagnosis .

best wishes feebee

[Rmichelle in reply to feebee1993]

Hi feebee yes so good to have a diagnosis but cried my eyes out last as ig was a relief but felt very scared at the same time and still feel quite emohtional today, which is one of the my symptons too but i dont mind being compared to a cat we are all gods creatures. I am starting beta blockers today, have you felt tired on them,?good to hear you are feeling a little easier.x

[feebee1993 in reply to Rmichelle]

im not suprised you are tearfull , the stress we are put under when we can not get our symptoms diagnosed is totally underestimated in my opinion . when i got my diagnosis i just burst into tears with relief and kept saying i am not mad . i dont mind admitting i had been sent down the mental health route for so long ,being told all i was feeling was deffinatly in my head ! i was utterly euphoric for a few days and then reality set in and i sort of crashed with it all and became very low . i have got my sensible head on again and have requested to see a gi consultant .the ent said no point, but as its my stomach and oesophagus that are affected , i would like there take on things .i feel the more infomation i have the better .

i would now say to people , dont be afraid to ask for second opinions or question doctors . they dont know everything . the ent consultant told me there was nothing for my oesophegeal spasms , any meds had side effects that were worse .but casuilty then gave me buscopan which helped , doesnt seem to have side effects for me ,and available over the counter !

im sure the beta blockers will make a big difference to your symptoms . i didnt feel tired on them just relaxed and calm , but not spaced out or medicated . i really hope they do the same for you .

feeb

[Rmichelle in reply to feebee1993]

Nice to hear from you feebee. To be honest my beta blockers are still on the table and i havent had he guts to take them yet, doc has prescribed10mg 4 times a day, i keep going to them and then putting them back.feel so scared of taking them!!

[feebee1993 in reply to Rmichelle]

oh michelle , i really do know how you feel , i was the same . that is a very small dose , i am on 40 mg three times a day , and i have got it down to one a day now , to be honest i only take it now because it sais dont just stop this medacine . my gp said i was ok just to stop it as it wasnt a big dose , but i really do strugle to believe my doctors with anything now ! why not take it when you are with someone , thats what i always do if im starting something new . or perhaps when you are having a really bad palpitation and then you feel anything is better than that !

saying that i have a nose unblocker spray thing prescribed for me from my doc still sitting in the drawer because it said may increase heart rate ! so yes i really know how you feel at the moment ,but it really is a small dose .

feeb

[Rmichelle in reply to feebee1993]

Thankyou feeb what im going to do is take half to begin with and then increase to a whole tablet!! Yes i know what you ate thinking.lol its pathetic isnt it.ha.x

[Rmichelle in reply to feebee1993]

Hi tbere, i came across this old post and wondered about you and thought how are you? As you know i found out i had thyroid disease hyper but now hypo and with hashimotos immune disease and celiac-all good. Its been a long battle with this as im fighting my own body but trying different doses with the meds to try and get me feeling normal again but anything to do with the thyroid is a slow progress.

Would love to know how you are now feebee?x😊

[feebee1993 in reply to Rmichelle]

Hello rmichelle ,

How nice of you to ask about me , i have not been on here for a while and had to re read where i was four months ago .

Its funny how quickly something that was so new and scary then becomes the norm . I wonder did you take the beta blockers ? And if so did you get used to them ? I tried to stop mine as doctors said i just could despie the leaflets saying do not just stop them . Ended up in casulty at three in the morning with heart going mad ! So decided just to stay on them as it was very scary . It sounds like you are coping with so much as are so many on here , i began to feel i was a bit of a fraud with my silly oesophagus .

I am doing ok thank you , i have got used to my new diet and have seen a couple of diatitians, very sweet girls that tell me what nutrients are in what foods and that i have to find food i can manage !

I know what goes down now and what doesnt and its funny because some thicker foods go down better than thin ones . I tend to have fluid foods until tea time and then a soft meal for tea and am putting weight on so cant be doing too badly .

The spasms are still with me and getting worse , i saw the gi chap again privatly and he started by telling me i was not mad , but ended saying he thinks i have hyper viserole sensativity , and am thinking these symptoms into existance , so its back to its in your head and your fault . He prescribed a cocktail of drugs , upping the propranalol and prescribing ppi s and pregabalin . All potent drugs , i havnt taken any of them , i live with the nerve jumping , i am not just going to throw a bucket load of drugs at something that is someones best guesse , i have not had one test for the spasms and have given up trying to get diagnosis or help , because i seem to be still alive and cant face another fight .

Actually my husband who has had choking fits for years and wasnt believed has just had a live swallowing x ray and seen a consultant who has found he is aspirating , his throat muscles are not working properly , so food and liquids stay in his throat and go down his windpipe ,he was told it was all in his head too , so nice to be told it wasnt and is real ! They think from damage done when he had a neck disc replaced .today he had an endoscopy after being on ppi s for ten years without any investigation , biopseys were taken but they said it looked ok .so do hope so . They couldnt believe he had been on the ppis for so long without proper investigations , i think a lot of people are put on them and then just have their prescriptions repeted sadly.

My old thyroid cat mentioned before has just had her teeth cleaned at the age of 21,and survived . One of my mad dogs has survived a broken jaw that she got during a dental and we have welcomed a second grand child , so life goes on and we count our blessings .

Wishing you a happy christmas and as healthy new year as you can have , and thank you so much for caring .

Feebee x

[Rmichelle in reply to feebee1993]

So good to hear from you feebee and looks like you and your hubby have had it hard-i have little faith in docs and specialists as they think everythingvis in peoples heads- i too am not good at present with yet another dose change of meds and that takes a good 4 weeks to kick in- it lije baking a cake with the right amount of ingredients. I have nodules on my thyroid andca thickening of the isthmus but dont know what specialist will do at the moment until i see him on the 2 jan. I did take the beta blockers until around the 3rd week and tgen gradually lessened them off, i still get palps with every dose change but i have learnt to live with them and rest and listern to my body. I have been off work for 4 months now ad felt very poorly and have been told it can take several months.

Its all good isnt it feebs!😨

Your husband, how is he now, surely they would have picked up on aspiration on a xray? as i had that done aswell but all clear. Do you mean a barium swallow (live xray where they get you to swallow drinks and food)?

You are right about ppi tablets dished out like smarties to people and no investigations- i do think we have to take charge of our own health as most professionals just dont know-thank god for google!!

So good you are getting to grips of what you can and cant eat it does make a difference.

Congratulations on the birth of a grandchild and that itself is something to keep fighting for. So good to catch up.xxx😊

[kiddy]

Hi i have heard you can get swallowing problems from thyroid so maybe something to do with that rather than Hiatus hernia.

Good Luck

Debbie

[Rmichelle in reply to kiddy]

Hi kiddy you must have read my mind, i have been doing my research on internet this morning and have found many people with thyroid problems with same symptons as me and i also tick the boxes for thyroid symptons, im hoping it is that when i go to docs tomorrow and i can be treated. I have endo booked for friday which i need yo have also. Thankyou so much for your advice kiddy, i love this site there are lots of people who are willing to share their experiences and you think then youre not alone. Best wishes.

[Rmichelle in reply to kiddy]

Hi debbie i have hyperthyroidism you was spot on got my results today. I have now joined thyroid.uk and i am getting some good advice, for me it is not digestive problems, but a swallowing problem due to thyroid. Best wishes.

[kiddy]

Glad you know now and it can be treated.

Good Luck

Debbie